joizy

Hi guys, I'm thinking about returning to Bangkok after many years. Heartbroken that Babylon has closed. I spent many wonderful hours there over the years. The last time I was there, a hot Vietnamese guy flashed me several times while I was in the pool and he was sitting on a lounge. We had a great time in a cabin. I know this site is mostly geared towards those who like to pay for sex, but I (maybe foolishly) long for the days when I could meet guys at a sauna and spend time with them without a financial incentive. Are there any saunas that are anywhere near what Babylon used to be? Not only guys who are interested in farang, but also with restaurant, beautiful space, massage, etc. I did do a search here but didn't find anything, so apologies if this has already been discussed.

I've always stayed at Furama Silom - it was the Tower Inn before. They have a great breakfast as well. Convenient location, near Skytrain station, Patpong and no issue bringing guests in - reception is further back on the first floor - you enter to the elevators. Big rooms that have been nicely renovated.

I used to enjoy San Juan, Puerto Rico, but I haven't been in a while. Of course, there is Santo Domingo with some of the most beautiful people on earth.

Absolutely agree. I went to Boca Chica and couldn't get out fast enough. I'd booked a room, and even though I was losing money, I contacted a place I'd stayed at In Las Terrenas, made a reservation, and went there instead (even though I knew I would not be having any sex there). I'd passed through Boca Chica on a previous trip and it looked nice, and I'd read some hot stories on another site, but no one mentioned the whores and the constant hassling you experience. Definitely not worth the trip.

I spent two weeks in Bali and didn't have any luck (other than the airport when I was leaving). I think the issue there is that it's very close-knit, and people are very observant (and sometimes downright nosy). I was in Ubud. Other parts of Bali might be different. I did have fun in Medan, Sumatra though. Not a very attractive place, and definitely not a destination in and of itself, but I stayed at a hotel with a great pool that was quite cruisy, especially on weekends. Had guys follow me to my room (I was 30 years younger then) - had lots of fun!

You've probably read other posts here about Medellin, but that's what I'd suggest. I have not been to Lima, but from what I read here, there are drawbacks. Medellin was sex paradise, if that's what you're looking for. Many available men - some free, some for pay. Good restaurants, clubs and saunas (I didn't visit any) and friendly people. Mexico City, Lima and Pattaya all probably have better food - Colombian food is pretty basic meat and potatoes - but the men in Colombia were among the hottest I've ever encountered on my travels. And the weather is also perfect - eternal spring.

Not a stupid question at all. I used a Charles Schwab investor ATM card. Found out about this a few years ago and it's my go-to when I travel. I deposit money into that account (if the card gets stolen, there's a limited fund available) and use it exclusively for ATMs. I get the daily rate and they reimburse all foreign transaction fees. Some things to be careful about: Always use an ATM inside a shopping center (and don't go straight out to the street), or inside a bank (I think a shopping center is safer). I used the one in the supermarket and then did my grocery shopping. If you see a message on the ATM asking you to accept the conversion rate, always say no. The bank wants you to accept their rate, not the going rate. It's their way of making some extra money off the deal. I learned about this too late, and probably lost a few dollars. I'm on a few FB groups for expats living in Medellin and there have been several straight guys sharing horror stories of women going to their homes (one was for "language exchange" and then drugging and robbing them. I never felt unsafe there, but I probably took chances I shouldn't have. Be careful, but have fun. It's a beautiful country and the people are beautiful as well.

Thank you. Sounds brutal.

I've often wondered about this. Not that I've done any research, but the few Filipino guys I've been with seemed to have a different kind of circumcision. I agree, it was not attractive. Does anyone know about this? What do they do differently?

It was a lovely gesture. Thanks for sharing it with us.

I felt very safe there COVID-wise. They took is seriously, locked down and got vaccinated. When I was there, they lifted the mask mandate and things felt very normal. I was having sex and going to restaurants and even though I caught some type of virus that was going around, I never got COVID (I had to have a negative test to return to the US). I'd say now is about as good a time as any to go.

I see somebody misses me. She's obsessed.

Yes, that's what I've heard as well. So much was destroyed during the Cultural Revolution. Certainly much of what is in the National Museum's collection would no longer exist.

I don't really want to argue with you because it's clear you have strong views and know a lot about Taiwan. I hope for the people of Taiwan that this doesn't escalate. As I'm sure you know, military service is mandatory and there are constant threats from China. But it is a beautiful island, the people are very progressive and warm, and the men are hot. It also has one of the best museums in the world in my opinion. This discussion is making me want to go back. It's been a while.

I wasn't quoting the Guardian article, I was relating my own experience. I taught in Taiwan, I've had Taiwanese colleagues, Taiwanese students and a Taiwanese boyfriend. They all emphatically stated that they were not Chinese. The consider Taiwan to be an independent country with its own language, culture, currency and political system. They also look to the West for protection from a much bigger bully, China. They live under the constant threat of an attack, much like South Koreans do with North Korea. Your experience may be different and to be honest, I haven't read all of the posts in this thread because some of them are way too long. I was simply making a point, if you ask the people of Taiwan, they will tell you that they are not China nor Chinese.

The people of Taiwan consider themselves to be living in an independent country. They will emphatically tell you that they are not China.

Since no one has posted in the Cuba forum yet, I thought I'd share this hopeful news. HAVANA, July 22 (Reuters) - Cuba's National Assembly on Friday approved a sweeping update of its family law which opens the door to allowing gay marriage, greater women's rights, and increased protections for children, the elderly and other family members. The new Families Code will be put to a referendum vote on Sept. 25 after being debated in community meetings earlier this year, where organizers said 62% of participants expressed their support. That is relatively low by Cuban standards, where the recently-passed new constitution was approved with 86% of the vote. Policy proposals in previous referendums have seen support of around 95%. The code promoted "love, affection, care, sensitivity, respect for others and the harmony of our families," Justice Minister Oscar Manuel Silvera said, presenting the code for the vote at the National Assembly. Opponents to the rule change include many churches. "What has been happening is sad because it is going to bring confrontation," said Methodist pastor Henry Nurse. "It goes against what has been taught for many generations of years throughout the world about the true traditional marriage that is between a man and a woman," he said. The new code would legalize same-sex marriage and civil unions, allow same-sex couples to adopt children, and promote equal sharing of domestic responsibilities. It will also allow prenuptial agreements and surrogate pregnancies, though not for profit. Parents would have "responsibility" instead of "custody" of children, and be required to be "respectful of the dignity and physical and mental integrity of children and adolescents." Cuba is already a regional front-runner in women's rights. Women head up nearly 50% of households and make up 60% of professionals, have free access to abortion, and can claim up to two years' maternity leave. A Havana couple who have lived together for many years but were never able to have children, Ria Acosta Cruz and Gabriela Alfonso, said it was their human right to marry and adopt children. "The opportunity it gives us is that of marriage. The fact of being able to opt together for certain things and certain legal procedures that we need as a couple and not as independent people," Alfonso said. Acosta said it met their expectations as a family. "We are a marriage. We have the plans together, the economy together. It is not fair that this possibility does not exist," she said. (This story corrects name of person in paragraph 11 to Ria) (Additional reporting by Marc Frank and Reuters television, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien) https://news.trust.org/item/20220725105728-1rzpd?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Espresso 26 July 2022&utm_content=Espresso 26 July 2022+CID_96ca882769ad51cf29f93de4a905e107&utm_source=newsletter&utm_term=Cuba approves law change that opens door to gay marriage other family rights

I just returned from a week in PV and thought I'd do a quick report. Disclaimer - some of you might find it boring. I only had sex once and had one happy ending massage, but I'm providing information on prices, etc, for those considering a trip. As soon as I arrived, I started checking out my options on Grindr. It's pretty obvious who is available for money - disponibile, massage or some variation of that on their profile - often I'd tap a guy and if he responded, we'd start a conversation. Going rate for most guys was 2,000-2,500 MXP, which I thought was a bit steep compared to what I remember pre-Covid. The guys were mostly Colombian/Venezuelan. One local Mexican guy quoted me 800 pesos, which is more what I remember from my last trip. (Exchange rate is about 20 pesos: 1USD) I wasn't in a hurry, so I waited a few days before trying out one cute Colombian guy with years of photos on Instagram. He asked for 2,000 pesos. Sex was ok, and he was a little older than he appeared in his photos, but still hot. I tried Hammam massage as recommended by a few members here. I'd booked a massage for the day after my arrival that included body scrub and Vichy shower. There was no hot water, so I only got a massage (the hot water came back in time for me to shower afterwards). Massage only was 960 pesos. The masseuse directed my hand to his crotch towards the end and let me play with his hard cock, but no happy ending. Looking around for other places for massage, I found a spa called Acqua Spa for men. Years ago I went there when it was a gym. I booked a massage for 1,000 pesos. Absolutely legit, no extra, but very good massage and really nice place. They offer other services such as mani/pedi, facials, etc. I went back on my last day for a facial. 2,000 pesos for anti-aging facial. I know these prices aren't cheap, but they are much less than what I'd pay in the states. I had to check out of my Airbnb at noon, but my flight was late in the day, so I'd arranged another massage at Hammam - what I had originally scheduled - for the afternoon to kill some time before going to the airport. This time there was nothing remotely sexual. I'd decided I wasn't going to try and would just wait to see if he offered. It was fine. Had a body scrub, vichy shower and great massage - a little over 2,000 pesos. So far, pretty boring, right? To be honest, when I got there, I was tired and it was hot, and Grindr wasn't doing it for me. The one guy I hired satisfied me enough that I didn't feel the need to arrange anything else and decided to focus instead on pampering myself with these spa treatments and enjoying the good food rather than spending my money on guys who weren't really appealing to me. However, there was one guy on Grindr who contacted me and offered a massage for 1,000 pesos at his place. He sent photos of his studio, business card and a photo of a nice looking thick cock. He'd contacted me on previous trips and I never went because I was having better luck. This time I decided to give him a try. His name was Freddy. He was older than he appeared on his Grindr profile and his cock did not seem as big as the photo he sent, however, he gave me a great massage. He definitely knew what he was doing and seemed to be working very intuitively, whereas the other guys were more mechanical (but still good) in their approach. He let me suck his cock and brought me to release at the end. I gave him 1,500 and will definitely go back to him, though maybe just for massage. Overall, it was a great trip - I got 4 massages a pedicure and a facial and ate some great food. Didn't play as much with the boys as I have in the past, but they were available if you were willing to work for it (I was not). Happy to answer any questions, especially for first-timers. Ask here or PM me.

It’s a learning experience for sure. They thrive on reactions. Starve them and hopefully they will go away.

Good points. This is my first time encountering this behavior. They got me as soon as I joined and I gave them the reaction they wanted. Stupid on my part, now I know. i was reading a thread you started and the troll went on for like 6 pages. But mostly you kept quiet. He said some of the most vile things. No one else in the discussion called him out. i appreciate those who have told me to stop engaging (though they ignore the troll). All of this points to the importance of bystanders. If this forum is unmoderated, then it’s up to us to try to keep it civil. i truly regret engaging, especially out of anger. From now on, I will rarely post, and when I do, it will be with the intent to make a positive contribution.

At first I thought that people don’t understand the impact they are having and that their words can be hurtful. But now I think for the trolls, that is their intent. They want to cause pain. I’m sorry you had this experience. There are some good guys here. Several have written me privately and don’t post publicly because of the trolls.

I've been reading through some old threads and I see you speak from experience. Your number 1 troll seems quite similar to mine. I wonder if they are the same person. Yes, I have learned the hard way to ignore them. Feeding them is what they want. It makes them relevant, when they are otherwise sad and lonely. Your troll is obviously jealous and triggered by every post. So is mine. I have him on ignore and he spouts his crazy conspiracy theories out into an empty void, getting no response from me. What is sad though is that the other members of the forum engage and reinforce the behavior. I was reading a little about Internet trolls yesterday and found that they are actually psychopaths who revel in causing pain. We really should not be tolerating that behavior here, but since nothing is done to stop them, the only thing to do is ignore them. Don't Feed the Trolls I've learned the hard way.

One thing you will find almost immediately about Medellin - the love their Metro. It is a source of enormous pride. This video sheds a little light on the reasons why. Investment in infrastructure changes lives. https://youtu.be/Qca7uqHOUBg

I love these random news items you share.

I've been to Cutey and Beauty in Bangkok several times. After a woman at a foot massage place tried to go beyond my feet, I've decided whenever possible, I'd search out gay spots. I love the name and the boys are all cute. Great facials and other services. All legit - no extras. https://www.cuteyandbeauty.com/